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Explain the economic differences between the Northern and Southern states prior to the Civil War

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Prior to the Civil War, there were significant economic differences between the Northern and Southern states. The North had a more diversified and developed economy, with manufacturing, banking, insurance, and commerce. The main industry in the South was slave-plantation based and focused on cotton, tobacco, and rice production. This meant the North had more capital and access to markets than the South. The North also had access to more advanced technologies, railways, and canals, while the South did not. These differences helped exacerbate and fuel the divide between North and South in the lead up to the Civil War.